


Wish Magic

by OhHamilton



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Practical Magic (1998)
Genre: Angst, Beltane ritual, Discussion of Abortion, Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, family curse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2020-10-31 09:43:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20791193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhHamilton/pseuds/OhHamilton
Summary: Harry Potter meets Practical Magic. The Malfoy family has been cursed that the ones they love die. Draco thinks he has found a way around the curse, but curses are funny things.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I have been having writers' block and watched Practical Magic yesterday, I was immediately inspired to write this little thing. I hope you all enjoy! This is completely unedited or anything, I just finished writing it, so it is what it is!

* * *

“Draco, darling, will you come sit with me a moment?”

Draco looked up at his mother from where he was playing quietly with a toy wand. He was ten years old.

“Of course mère.” He stood, working to maintain the regal bearing his father had been teaching him. He settled himself down primly next to her, taking in her sad smile as she brushed the hair from his face.

“For more than 1,000 years, the Malfoys have been blamed for darkness and trouble. It is in the name after all.” She sighed.

“Is that why people hate us so much?” Draco queried innocently.

“They don’t hate us, sweetheart. We just make them a little nervous.” She paused, looking out of the window of Draco’s playroom. “It began with your ancestor, Maria. She fell in love with a muggle, and when she was found out by the local villagers to be an unwed, pregnant witch, she was banished to a lonely island off the coast of France.”

Her blue eyes were pained as she gazed down at her son. She hated having to tell him, but Lucius refused, convinced that the curse had been broken or never existed, but she couldn’t allow her precious Draco to live in ignorance.

“She waited for her lover to rescue her, but he never came. No one came. In a moment of despair, on All Hallows Eve, she cast powerful wish magic upon herself so that she would never again feel the agony of love.”

Lucius had told her the old story after they had wed and were trying for a child. He had thought it an amusing anecdote, but Narcissa was a Black, and Black’s knew the power of scorned women, knew the power of blood. So, she searched through the Malfoy family histories and found an alarming truth. One of every generation was cursed, irrespective of gender, their partner would die after producing an heir.

“As her bitterness grew, the spell turned into a curse, a curse on any who dared to love a Malfoy.”

She knew she did not have much longer, Draco would be going to Hogwarts soon and the curse would drag her down. She and Lucius had fallen in love, and because of that, because she had made Draco, she knew her time was drawing to a close.

* * *

It was the middle of November during Draco’s first year. He had been settling in well with his house mates and classes, the only sore spot was his continued animosity with Potter. He had only ever wanted to be the other boy’s friend, had been looking forward to meeting him for so long. But then Weasley had gotten in the way and everything had been ruined. He couldn’t help but try and gain his attention any way he could, even if it was negative, it was better than nothing.

He was sitting down to dinner when his father strode into the hall. He was as immaculately dressed as ever, but Draco immediately knew that something was wrong. While his hair had been tried back neatly, it was dirty. There were dark smudges under his fathers eyes, and a sallowness to his skin.

Draco rose as his father strode up to him, reaching out to grasp Draco’s shoulder tightly, staring down at him for a few long moments. He felt his Head of House and Godfather appear behind him, ushering the pair to his office.

“Draco, I am sorry, I have some bad news.” Lucius eventually choked out.

Draco exchanged a worried look with Snape. “What is it father?”

“It’s your mother… She…”

He was alarmed to see tears swimming in his father’s eyes. Immediately he _knew_ something was very wrong. He flashed back to that quiet conversation he had had with his mother a little more than a year ago. It had been such an odd conversation, so very out of the blue that he had never been able to forget it.

“She’s dead isn’t she?” He was surprised at how calm he sounded. Coldness spread out from his heart, numbing his hands.

“Yes, I am so sorry Draco, it is all my fault.” Lucius collapsed into the chair usually reserved for students while Draco stood rigidly by Snape’s desk.

“I know. You should have believed.” Draco replied, missing Snape’s wide eyed stare as he also sat in his chair.

“I heard the deathwatch beetle ticking for her. I refused to believe the silly old story, but I was wrong! She was out riding and the horse must have spooked, she fell and hit her head…”

Draco had never seen his father so distressed. Nothing touched his heart though, he felt dead inside. His beloved mother was dead, dead because of a family curse his father refused to believe in.

Well he wouldn’t make that mistake.

“When is the funeral?”

“This weekend,” Lucius finally looked up, eyes tracking to his long time friend Severus. “Will you bring him? I will owl you the details when they are finalised.”

“Of course Lucius, anything you need. I am sorry for your loss.” Snape murmured.

“Was there anything else?” Draco asked after a few moments of silence.

Lucius and Snape both looked at him with wide eyes.

“I have homework I need to do.” Draco continued when they didn’t say anything.

“Draco, please.” Lucius lurched up, attempting to catch him in a hug but Draco shied away.

“She is dead because of you.” His eyes were grey chips as he glared up at his father. “If you will excuse me, I have homework.”

He turned and left the room.

* * *

_‘I hope I never fall in love.’_ The thought echoed through his head for weeks after his mother’s funeral. He never wanted to condemn someone to an early death. He never wanted to do what his father had to do.

It took time, but eventually he found a way to summon up a true love spell called Amas Veritas. He knew that love was always possible, so if he summoned something impossible, he would never have to worry.

“He will hear my call a mile away.

He will hum my favourite song.

He can ride a hippogriff backwards.”

Draco already knew that he preferred boys to girls, which was good considering he would have to marry a woman to produce an heir.

“He can flip pancakes in the air.

He’ll be marvellously kind.

His favourite shape will be a star.

He will have one green eye and one blue.”

For a moment he thought of Potter, but he knew that Potter had green eyes, so there was no risk there.

* * *

He felt a mild flutter of alarm in third year when they had a class on hippogriffs, somehow, when Hagrid had hoisted Potter onto the beast, he had ended up backwards, flying around the school. Draco reminded himself that Potter didn’t fit the rest of the criteria, so dismissed the worry, accidentally getting himself hurt in the process.

* * *

Voldemort Returned.

The war happened.

His father died during his fifth year, at the Department of Mysteries. He was practically kidnapped by his aunt and forced into service to the monster that had taken over his home. Everything was tainted with the Dark Lord’s touch and he had no escape, no reprieve.

* * *

Somehow, he survived.

He survived not murdering the Headmaster and the punishment that followed. He survived Potter turning up with his lackeys in his home and lying about their identities. He survived Potter dying, or not dying for that matter, in the forest and lying to the Dark Lord about it.

He survived the final battle and the trials that followed. He managed to come through with his fortune mostly intact, and began working tirelessly to repair his damaged reputation.

He was approached about two years after the war by Lord Greengrass. The man expressed an interest in creating a union of their families, to strengthen the business ties they already had. His youngest daughter, Astoria, was willing to marry.

They had been a few years apart at Hogwarts. Daphne, the eldest and heir to the family had been in his year. He had helped Astoria over the years as a prefect and with her homework as a fellow Slytherin. They had gotten along relatively well, as well as he did with anyone else from his house.

Knowing all of this, knowing that the chances of him falling in love with her were slim, he agreed. Draco did need an heir; he was the last of his line after all. He hoped that he might find a friend, a companion to remain by his side for life. He hoped that he might find contentment, or happiness.

* * *

It took a year to plan the wedding and iron out the marriage contract; he happily left most of the planning for the event to Astoria whom he had found a fast friend in. She was very forward thinking and encouraged him to look outside the magical world for business ideas and investment opportunities.

In no time at all he grew to appreciate her brilliant mind and sparkling wit. He was still very gay, but Astoria was understanding, and they took potions to ease intercourse in order to produce an heir. He would take a potion to assist with performance, she to increase fertility.

They made sure to write into their marriage contract that once an heir had been produced, fidelity was not required. When Astoria fell pregnant two years after their wedding, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

He did tell her about the family curse, but assured her that while he might grown to feel affection for her, as she was a woman he would never be _in_ love with her. She shrugged, and smiled, patting his hand and assuring him that no matter what, she knew their life together would work out well.

* * *

The years slipped by and he found happiness. Draco had everything he could hope for and more. He had gained a best friend and a life partner. Scorpius was perfect, in the absolutely imperfect way that children were. He and Astoria both took lovers on the side occasionally, but their friendship remained a solid base for their lives. When their lovers grew frustrated over their unwillingness to leave a sexless marriage for the sake of their son, the lovers would leave. It didn’t bother them over much, it worked for both Draco and Astoria, and Scorpius didn’t know any different, not that either ever allowed any of their lovers to interact with their son.

Astoria fell pregnant a second time four years into their marriage and instead of divorcing her like her current lover had hoped, Draco embraced the child as his own, blood adopting little Cassiopeia. Astoria, of course, was furious with the lover that had potioned her to fall pregnant and had kicked the idiot to the curb, much to Draco’s amusement.

* * *

When Scorpius turned ten, he sat down with his son and told him the same story that his mother had told him. Draco warned him to guard his heart, to be careful. He explained that while he had found happiness with Astoria, he was actually gay and so while he loved Astoria, he had never been _in_ love with her.

Scorpius had accepted this with a surprising amount of equanimity.

* * *

Scorpius went to Hogwarts and somehow, made friends with Potter’s youngest boy. Potter had had a rather messy divorce six months prior. It had come to light that not only had Ginevra Weasley been giving him Amortentia, but that their youngest, Lily, wasn’t even Potters. The Prophet had devoured the story, printing speculation and sensationalised articles about the very public blow out. Ginevra was cast out of the Potter home, but Potter had opted to blood adopt Lily, keeping all of the children. He also took an extended leave of absence from his position as Senior Auror at the Ministry to focus on his family and on recovering from the betrayal.

Draco couldn’t help but respect the man. He had faced the whole debacle with grace while Ginevra had thrown public tantrums and aired their dirty laundry for the world to see. Once Potter had gone through the purging process for removing the effect of long term exposure of Amortentia, he came out as publicly gay.

Occasionally Draco would have to interact with Potter in a public setting. They had been cordial since the end of the war and while he had grown to harbour a secret flame for the other man, he would never consider taking it further. It wasn’t worth the risk.


	2. Chapter 2

It was just after Cassiopeia’s tenth birthday when he heard it.

Horror immediately washed over him. He was not in love with Astoria, he had grown to love the courageous, clever woman, but there was no romance there. The curse was only supposed to affect romantic relationships.

Rather than wasting his time trying to find the blasted deathwatch beetle, he scrambled from his office, frantically calling for Astoria. He was horrified, when he was too late. She had fallen down the main staircase, her blonde hair splayed out on the marble tile. A growing pool of blood under her head where it had landed oddly on the bottom step.

An agonised sound echoed through the hall and it took him a few moments to realise that the pained noise was coming from him.

Stumbling down the stairs, Draco collapsed next to her, frantically checking for a pulse, knowing already that the efforts would be wasted.

He gathered her into his arms, cradling her tenderly to his chest.

“Muffy.” He called, voice hoarse.

The elf appeared, eyes widening in alarm when she took in Draco and Astoria.

“Please fetch a healer from St Mungo’s and have one of the other elves watch over Cassie, she doesn’t need to see this.”

* * *

Everything passed in a blur after that. The numbness invading his chest once move as he watched the healer cast diagnostics, confirming that the cause of death was an accidental fall from the top of the stairs resulting in blunt force trauma to the back of the head. Once Astoria had been cleaned up and moved, by the house elves, to the private mourning room in the manor, Draco went to Cassie who was still playing happily under the watchful eye of Dippy.

“Thank you Dippy, you may return to your duties.”

The elf nodded and popped away.

Draco half collapsed onto the ground next to Cassie who looked up with a smile that fell away much too quickly.

“Daddy? What’s happened?” She asked, setting down her toys and climbing into his lap.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, burying his nose in her thick blonde hair. She reminded him so much of her mother.

“Darling, did I ever tell you the story of our ancestor Maria?”

“No daddy, what is the story?” She looked up at him with wide blue trusting eyes and his heart stuttered.

“For more than 1,000 years, the Malfoys have been blamed for darkness and trouble. It is in the name after all.” He repeated the words that his mother had told him so very long ago. “It began with your ancestor, Maria. She fell in love with a muggle, and when she was found out by the local villagers to be an unwed, pregnant witch, she was banished to a lonely island off the coast of France.”

He swallowed heavily, memories crowding in from his childhood, what he was now inflicting on his children.

“She waited for her lover to rescue her, but he never came. No one came. In a moment of despair, on All Hallows Eve, she cast powerful wish magic upon herself so that she would never again feel the agony of love.”

Draco swallowed heavily, voice rasping.

“Her as her bitterness grew, the spell turned into a curse, a curse on any who dared to love a Malfoy. It is believed that only romantic love would be counted. You know I loved your mother very much, but I was never in love with her. I thought she was safe. I am so sorry Cassie, your mother passed away this morning.” He felt tears slip down his cheeks, unable to look his daughter in the eye, guilt overwhelming him.

“What do you mean mummy is dead? I saw her a few hours ago!” Her voice was shrill and Draco flinched when she shoved herself our of his lap.

“Mummy!” She shrieked, bolting from the room.

He lurched up, darting after her as she ran, room by room around the manor. Eventually, she collapsed, sobbing in the main sitting room. Draco approached cautiously, reaching out a trembling hand to stroke her hair as she cried. Eventually her sobs eased and she peered up at him.

“Would you like to see her?” He asked softly and she nodded.

Gathering her up in his arms, he carried her to the mourning room, setting her down outside the black door. Easing it open, the breath wooshed from his lungs.

Astoria had been laid out, dressed in her favourite blue dress, the diamond earrings he had given her for their second wedding anniversary, the matching necklace from their fifth. Her hair had been brushed and curled the way she liked, delicate make up breathing life into her paling skin. Her eyes had been closed and she looked like she was resting, between breaths.

The elves had been busy.

Cassie darted into the room, gathering up her mothers hand and pressing the limp palm to her cheek.

He wasn’t sure how long they stayed with Astoria and Cassie, but eventually he realised that he was going to have to take a trip to Hogwarts. Scorpius had to know.

After a restless night, he dragged himself from bed, gathering up a listless Cassie and enlisting the elves help to have her dressed and ready to go.

After a stilted breakfast where neither of them ate, they apparated to Hogwarts. Draco hated that her first vision of Hogwarts was going to be tainted with the memory of her mother’s death, but he refused to leave her anywhere.

He strode into the school, taking the familiar route to the Great Hall. The hall was filled with students, chatting over breakfast. His eyes roamed over the hall, taking in McGonagall rising from the head table. As silence rippled out from him, like a pebble dropped in a pool, he spotted Scorpius lurching to his feet at the Slytherin table, Albus beside him.

“No!” Scorpius’ voice cut through the remaining chatter.

The room fell still and all he could do was shake his head; hand gripped tight around Cassie’s hand.

“No, you promised!” Scorpius extracted himself from the table, darting towards him, Albus in tow.

His son collided with his chest, small fists beating against him.

“I’m sorry Scorp.” He eventually rasped out. “I was wrong.”

“Draco,” McGonagall’s voice cut through the heavy moment as Cassie clung to his hand and Scorp sobbed into his chest. “Perhaps you would prefer a more private space? There is a small receiving room nearby you can use.”

He looked at her, her eyes pained. Their relationship had improved following the war, he was on the Board of Governors and had devoted time and money not just to the rectification of Hogwarts, but also to improving the school and its facilities over the years.

“Thank you, Minerva.” He looked down, seeing Albus hovering uncertainly at the edge of their little huddle. “Al, will you help Scorp? Minerva, lead the way.”

They were shown to the room and Minerva left, granting them a modicum of privacy. Draco was astonished that neither Cassie nor Scorp actively blamed him like he did his father. He guessed the difference was that Lucius refused to believe the curse and married the woman he loved, while he didn’t. He had grown to love Astoria, very much, but he had thought she was safe without the romantic aspect of love.

He was deeply horrified at how wrong he was.

* * *

The funeral passed in a blur. Albus was granted dispensation to attend to support Scorpius. On one hand, he was grateful his son had such a good friend, on the other, he could see that the beginning blossoms of romance were there as well. Scorpius was very much his son apparently.

The remainder of the school year slipped by in a haze as he grappled with his grief and tried to care for Cassie on his own. He had no real family left, and the few friends he had had moved overseas following the war. He felt so very alone but was determined to do his best for his kids.

* * *

“Dad? It’s time for us to pick Scorpius up from Kings Cross. Daddy come on. Out of bed sleepyhead!” Cassie crawled onto his bed, poking his cheek.

Draco groaned, pressing his face into the pillow. He had not slept the night before, plagued by memories of his mother and Astoria. Perhaps it was time to get another opinion on the curse, there had been a lot of developments in magic and cursebreaking since the curse had originally been inflicted. He couldn’t allow his children to go through this. They deserved a chance at happiness.

He dragged himself out of bed, dressing as best he could and going with Cassie to Kings Cross. They waited on the platform, Cassie chattering away as he stared into the distance. As the train pulled up, he felt a presence beside him and turned to see none other than Harry Potter standing my his side.

“My condolences.” The man offered his hand.

Draco stared at it, then up to wide green eyes that smiled softly at him.

“Thank you.” He murmured, reaching out to shake his hand.

“If there is anything you need, let me know. Our boys are friends, and while we might not have been when we were kids, we are adults now and I am willing to put all of our history aside.”

Draco couldn’t help softening at the offer, the first smile in months gracing the corners of his lips. “Thank you Potter, I appreciate it.”

“Call me Harry.” The other man grinned, teeth straight and white.

“Draco.” Was all he had time to say before Scorpius and Albus arrived.

He was swept up in their chattering enthusiasm. Draco was astonished at how quickly children tended to recover. Then again, they weren’t dealing with self-blame and recrimination.

* * *

Dear Harry,

First of all, thank you for your kind words the other week on the platform. I was actually wondering if you could recommend a cursebreaker. I have a rather odd curse that I was hoping to break. Would you be willing to meet with me, perhaps the boys can catch up at the same time.

Regards,

Draco

* * *

Two mornings later, Draco, Cassie and Scorpius tumbled out of the floo into Grimmauld Place. The whole place was fresh and alive, Albus and Lily were bouncing by the fireplace and immediately latched onto his children and dragged them off. He trailed after them, discovering that they were leading him to a generously proportioned, old fashioned kitchen.

His heart stuttered painfully at Harry standing by the stove top, flipping pancakes in the air to the applause of the kids. Harry looked up to where he was hovering in the doorway and grinned. Draco’s stomach clenched. Harry looked different to how he normally did. The lightning bolt scar now stretched down and over his eye, causing it to turn an electric blue, the other still a rich green.

“Come in Draco, take a seat, I am just finishing fixing breakfast.” Harry gestured to a spot to the left of the head of the table.

James was seated to the right with Albus and Scorpius next to him, Cassie and Lily were on his side of the table. It was already heavily laden with the makings of a full continental breakfast. Harry flipped one last pancake, depositing it on a towering stack before moving the whole lot to the table. Draco hurried over, settling in the indicated spot.

Breakfast washed over him, conversation ebbing and flowing around him. Harry was solicitous, ensuring that he had everything that he needed while the kids chatted away. He couldn’t help but smile at the man Harry had grown into, he was a wonderful father, loving all three of his children equally, just like Draco did.

Eventually the horde of locusts that were their children finished eating and drifted off. Leaving Harry and Draco sharing a pot of tea at the table.

“How are you doing Draco?” Harry asked gently.

He took a shuddering breath and smiled weakly. “I have been better. It was just so unexpected. Well it wasn’t, it shouldn’t have been.”

Draco trailed off, taking in the worried expression on Harry’s face. “I’m not explaining myself very well am I?”

Harry shook his head, smiling softly as Draco raked his fingers through his hair.

“You see, there is this family curse, that results in the death of those we love. There is no time frame, no other parameters, but still, the curse lingers.” He took a fortifying sip of tea. “I can tell you the story if you like?” Draco offered finally.

“Yes please.” There was no accusation in Harry’s voice, just patience for which he was eternally grateful.

“For more than 1,000 years, the Malfoys have been blamed for darkness and trouble. It is in the name after all.” He felt like he was stuck in a loop, repeating this story over and over again. “Maria was an ancestor of the Malfoy line. She fell in love with a muggle, and when she was found out by the local villagers to be an unwed, pregnant witch, she was banished to a lonely island off the coast of France.”

He glanced up to see pained understanding in Harry’s eyes. “She waited for her lover to rescue her, but he never came. No one came. In a moment of despair, on All Hallows Eve, she cast powerful wish magic upon herself so that she would never again feel the agony of love.”

Draco took another sip of tea. “As her bitterness grew, the spell turned into a curse, a curse on any who dared to love a Malfoy. I initially believed that only romantic love would be counted as a part of the curse. So while I loved Astoria, I was never in love with her. We had a marriage of convenience, but we became very good friends over the years.” His expression turned wistful as he remembered the good times.

“It claimed my mother, so I swore that I would never find love of my own. I never expected to love Astoria, I’m gay you see.” He finally explained and saw understanding light Harry’s face. “I don’t want my children to go through this. I don’t want them to be burdened by the guilt and the pain. I am hoping that maybe, a cursebreaker might be able to fix the problem.”

“Oh Draco,” Harry’s palm was warm where it wrapped around his hand. “Of course I will help you. I imagine you don’t want anyone to know what is going on, so I will use the utmost discretion.”

“Thank you.” Was all Draco could choke out, distracted by the flutter of his hear at Harry’s touch.

He struggled internally, he had always fancied Harry, it was hard not to. While he was grieving for his wife and best friend, it was not the same as the feelings Harry incited in him. Irrespective of any feelings that might be rising, he would not consider anything ever again unless the curse could be broken.

“I have to ask…” Draco trailed off after breaking the silence, his eyes tracking over Harry’s changed face.

“The face?” Harry offered; expression edged in pain. He could only nod mutely, still somewhat surprised by the change. “After the Battle, when I finally had a chance to be seen by a healer, this was what they found once the blood and muck was cleared away.” He gestured towards his scar.

“Ginny hated it of course, she hated all of my scars, so I put up a glamour to appease her. Everyone expected that my curse scar would disappear when Voldemort died, and sure, the connection vanished. But people failed to realise that I was hit with the killing curse twice, of course there was going to be some kind of damage, you know? So, the scar grew and when it impacted my eye, the scar tissue somehow interacted with the green of my iris, resulting in my eye turning blue.

“The kids think it is great, so once I left Ginny, I stopped wearing the glamour around the house to appease her. It’s been so long though, and the uproar that would be created by me dropping it in public is something I don’t really want to deal with. So, my few friends know the truth, but every time I step foot outside I put the glamour up to hide it.” Harry shrugged.

“Ginny sounds like a bit of a bitch.” Draco blurted, outraged that she could demand something like that of a man who had given so much.

Harry barked a surprised laugh, grinning. “Yeah, she is a bit. Thankfully I never have to see her again. Because I was under the influence of Amortentia for our entire relationship, she lost all legal rights to everything. The kids, my money, everything she got when we were together immediately reverted to me. I asked the kids if they wanted to see her, but unfortunately, they hate her. She wasn’t the most loving mother and when they found out how she betrayed me, they all turned on her.”

“I don’t blame them, you have some great kids there Harry.” Draco offered with a soft smile.

“So do you.” Harry replied.


	3. Chapter 3

They settled into a routine over the next couple of weeks, every few days Draco, Cassie and Scorp would end up at Harry’s place, the children causing havoc through the three storey town house while Harry and Draco sipped tea in the kitchen or the small overgrown garden out the back.

Every time the were together, Draco could feel his hurts healing. There was something about being in Harry’s company that made him better. He began sleeping again. The kids even noticed that he was eating more, was present more often, the weight of grief and self-recrimination lightening. Lily and Cassie became inseparable, a scarily intelligent duo that he knew would take Hogwarts by storm once the summer was over.

This particular Tuesday, he arrived later than usual, Cassie had been feeling difficult and contrary this morning, so they had breakfasted at home. The kids immediately abandoned him to find Harry on his own. Checking the kitchen first, he found it empty, the breakfast dishes washing themselves in the sink. Humming to himself, he prepared a tea tray to take out to the garden, knowing that Harry had been working on it lately.

He stepped out onto the little porch and found Harry, on his knees, digging weeds out of the dirt. He was filthy, the tendrils of the rose bush he was currently battling stroking his hair and tangling in his clothes. But Harry was unfazed, humming happily to himself as he batted away the seeking vines.

It took Draco a few moments to realise what Harry was humming. It was the starting refrain from Claire de Lune. His mother would play it for him as a child and it was his favourite song. With shaking hands, he set the tray down on the little table and sank down onto the steps. Harry was still unaware, distracted by the determined rose bush, humming all the while. Draco’s heart clenched and his breath left him. The love spell from his childhood coming back to him.

_“He will hear my call a mile away._

_He will hum my favourite song. _

_He can ride a hippogriff backwards._

_He can flip pancakes in the air._

_He’ll be marvellously kind._

_His favourite shape will be a star._

_He will have one green eye and one blue.”_

“Draco? Draco!”

Harry’s distressed voice yanked him from his reverie, and he froze, staring into wide blue and green eyes. He couldn’t help but glance down, Harry’s lips perfect and pink, a light stubble shadowing his jaw line. Draco desperately wanted to kiss the other man with a passion he had never wanted anything before.

“How are you going finding me a cursebreaker?” He eventually rasped out.

Harry blinked in shock, settling back on his heels, a furrow forming in his brow. “Actually, I have had some success. I spoke with Bill the other week, he specialises in Egyptian curses so couldn’t help, but referred me to someone else he knew through Gringotts that specialises in personal curses. I was in the process of getting the confidentiality agreement set up for you. I have the standard one from Gringotts if you would like to look at it?”

“Yes, thank you.” Draco replied, standing on shaky legs before settling into one of the chairs by the table.

Harry shot him another worried look, wiping his dirty hands on his filthy pants before grimacing. Extracting his wand, Harry cast a cleaning charm on himself, banishing the abundance of soil clinging to his person, before moving inside.

Draco had enough time to fix himself a cup of tea and was just finishing preparing one for Harry when the other man returned. Setting down a scroll on the little table, Draco sipped his tea as he unrolled it and began reading through the clauses. Everything was rather standard and overall, he felt happy enough to sign the contract. He wanted to get this resolved before the kids went back to Hogwarts, he wanted to make sure that the curse was lifted so that they could all move forward with their lives.

* * *

It was a week later that Draco met with the cursebreaker, Hallet. The other man was middle aged and rather weathered but was professional and soothing. He had Draco settle down in a small consulting room at Gringotts and explain the story one more time. Draco expressed his concerns that his children would already bear the curse and that he desperately needed it removed so that none of them would have to suffer again.

The man hummed and assured him he would do everything he could. Hallet instructed Draco to sit quietly and try not to move too much while he cast a series of diagnostics. He tried, desperately to relax, to allow the magic to wash over and through him.

Half an hour drifted by before Hallet stopped.

“Alright, I have some excellent readings from you. I am going to have to do some research to find the best way to resolve this. I will send you an owl once I have a solution. Please be patient, these things can take time but I can assure you, I will find you a solution so neither you, nor your children have to deal with this again.” Hallet extended his hand and Draco shook it gratefully before leaving to collect his kids from Harry’s place.

* * *

It was edging uncomfortably close to September first and his hopes diminished that the curse would be removed before Cassie had to attend school for the first time and before Scorpius had to go back for his third year. Over the summer, the bond between Scorpius and Albus had only gotten stronger and Draco was deeply worried that the Curse would impact his son in some way before he could get it removed.

They had just returned from carrying out school shopping for the kids in Diagon Alley. James was roughhousing with Albus when one of them knocked into Cassie who had been sorting through her ink pots to make sure she hadn’t missed a colour. The pot went flying, smashing on the edge of the kitchen table and breaking to spray blue ink all over Harry.

“Hey!” He shouted. “James! Albus! I have told you before, no roughhousing in the house. Outside! No dessert tonight either!” The boys pouted but left.

“I’m sorry Cassie,” Harry turned to her, “I’ll replace the pot. Perhaps you and Lily can finish up in her room?”

The girls nodded, gathering their things together and heading up the stairs, leaving Draco and Harry, who was glaring at his shirt. “I’ll never get this out. And I liked this shirt too!”

Exasperated, Harry yanked the shirt off, leaving a wide blue smear on his abdomen. Draco felt lightheaded and swore to himself that he needed to stop being surprised every time this happened. Harry was magnificent, well sculpted muscles wrapped his frame, highlighted by scars that littered his golden skin. There was a tangle of scar tissue in the middle of his chest, but Draco’s eyes were caught on Harry’s left pectoral. A tattoo. A tattoo of the Draco constellation. Above Harry’s heart. Unaware he had moved, Draco realised he was tracing the lines with his fingertips. Harry was still and quiet under him, but he could feel the other mans thudding heartbeat, breath puffing in Draco’s ear.

Blinking out of his reverie, Draco looked up, realising how close they were when he could see little flecks of blue and gold in Harry’s green eye. He spread his palm out over Harry’s chest, covering the tattoo and his heart.

“I have always loved the Draco constellation. The mythology surrounding it has always resonated with me.” Harry breathed, not moving away.

The moment stretched as they gazed at each other, a deep understanding settling between them. Harry’s hand reached up, warm and rough, to cup his cheek, tracing a tender line over his cheekbone and Draco’s breath caught. Harry smiled sadly, before pressing a kiss to his forehead and taking a step back. The feeling lingered, the warmth and understanding they had found together.

“You never told me how the meeting with the cursebreaker went.” Harry commented as he wandered out of the room, ink stained shirt in hand.

Draco trailed after him, leaning in the doorway of the other man’s bedroom. “He ran a lot of diagnostics and seemed pretty confident he could break the curse. I had hoped to have it lifted before the kids go back to Hogwarts, but it doesn’t seem likely anymore. Hallet said he would contact me when he had a solution. Hopefully it won’t take too long.”

“It will take as long as it needs to, you know how magic can be Draco.” Harry reassured as he pulled on a fresh shirt.

“I’m just worried about Scorpius; I would hate for something to happen to Albus.” Draco fretted.

Harry moved over to him, cupping his cheek once more, expression soft and understanding. “The curse only seems to take effect after they marry and have a child. Somehow, I don’t think we need to worry for a good long while with Scorpius. He knows about the curse and he wont risk Albus until it is broken. We have time.”

“We have time.” Draco echoed, feeling that they were no longer talking about the boys.

* * *

The manor was empty without Cassie and Scorpius to fill it with their life and noise. Draco worked tirelessly to distract himself. He tried to stay away from Harry, but knowing the other man was rattling around Grimmauld Place on his own too made it difficult. Draco was falling so desperately in love with the other man that all he wanted to do was be with him, always. Unfortunately, he was also deeply afraid that the curse would claim Harry if they spent too much time together. Already the curse had claimed Astoria when it shouldn’t, he was terrified that it would claim Harry before the end. Draco knew that he would not survive his heart breaking if he lost Harry, and so he tried to stay away.

It was a particularly cold day in the middle of October when an owl winged through his window, asking him to return to Gringotts to meet with Hallet. Bundling himself up, Draco rushed over, hoping that a solution had been found.

“Draco, thank you for meeting with me. I am sorry it took me so long to find a solution, but wish magic can be tricky.” Hallet explained.

“I understand, have you found something?” Draco asked, heart pounding.

“Yes, I have worked out a ritual that will remove the curse. You and your two children should all participate to ensure that all elements of the curse are caught.” Hallet shuffled through his papers before glancing up. “I believe you mentioned that your children are both at Hogwarts now?”

“Yes, but Minerva will understand if I have to pull them out for a day or two. They aren’t in their OWL’s or NEWT’s years, so it should impact their grades overly much.” Draco rushed out, elated that a solution was at hand. “When can we do it?”

“The optimal time would be Beltane. I know it is a little away, but considering the curse was placed on All Hallows Eve, I believe we need the boost to make sure that the ritual takes.” Hallet’s expression was sympathetic when Draco deflated.

“Of course,” He commented weakly, “Can you tell me anything about the ritual?”

Draco’s head was spinning, another six months. Six months before he could… He forcefully stopped the train of thought. If six months was what it took, then it would be what it took.

“Of course,” Hallet extracted a piece of parchment from the stack, “I would like to do the ritual at your home, where the family magic is thick and deeply embedded in the earth. Just before dawn, I would have the three of you lying down within a circle of cleansing flame, your heads in the centre and your bodies making the spokes of a wheel. You will be dressed in robes of simple white linen, for purity, with crowns of spring blooms, preferably daffodils, primrose, flowering red currant, star magnolia and Rhododendron. If you have any grown on your property this would be preferred.”

“We have extensive greenhouses, I can check but I wouldn’t be surprised if we had them all, or at least most of them.” Draco replied.

“Good, that helps. I’ll paint some runes onto your skin with the juice of the red currant. Then I’ll have you all link hands while lying and carry out a Latin chant over you all. The ritual itself should be harmless, and your children shouldn’t feel anything as the curse hasn’t taken hold of them as yet. I cannot guarantee that you won’t feel any pain as the curse has already claim your wife.” Hallet gave him an apologetic smile.

“I don’t mind if I have to experience pain, as long as my kids don’t, I will bare anything.” Draco reassured him.

“I had a feeling you might say that. Anyway, once the chant is finished, the flames surrounding you should go out, indicating the ritual was successful. If the flames don’t, I’ll try repeating the chant a few times, but if that doesn’t do the trick, I will have to go back to the drawing board. This means another consult, more scans, and we try again. I am hoping that it won’t come to that, but I just want you to be aware of the possibility.” Hallet finished.

“Thank you, I appreciate the work you are doing. I will owl you with what stocks my green houses have, if I can get away with it, I will plant anything we are missing. In the new year, I will organise with my kids to collect them the day before so we can all be waiting for you when you arrive.”

“Excellent, I will bring the robes, you will need proper ritual robes and the goblins make the best.” Hallet commented before showing him out.

Without realising what he was doing, Draco floo’ed to Harry’s place, stumbling out of the fire and collapsing into a chair and burying his face in his hands.

Six months.

Six months left of this curse. Six months longer of waiting, six months before he was free, before Scorpius was free.

Rough hands brushed over his, wrapping around his wrists and pulling the away gently, so that Harry’s worried face came into view.

“Draco?” His voice wobbled alarmingly and something in Draco crumbled.

Slipping out of his chair, he knelt in front of Harry, who was crouched on the ground, and threw his arms around the other man. A sob wracked his body as Harry held him tightly, stroking his hair and murmuring sweet nothings into his ear.

Draco wasn’t sure how long he cried, all of the pain and frustration pouring out of him. Eventually, his hiccups eased and he just rested in the arms of his beloved, calm and centred for the first time in a long time.

“Six months.” He eventually murmured. “He wants to do the ritual to remove the curse on May first, so there is another six months of waiting. I have a list of plants I need to have at the manor for the ritual.”

Draco could feel the tension leaving Harry’s body, arms tightening around him as Harry exhaled heavily. “Six months isn’t so long.” Harry commented lightly.

“No, it’s not so long.” Draco agreed, thinking of writing a letter to Scorpius, letting him know what would be happening.

“Would you like some help with the plants? I am a bit of a green thumb.” Harry offered, making no move to get up, Draco nodded his head where it was resting against Harry’s shoulder.

They stayed, curled together on the floor until their legs went numb, and a bit longer still.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is an explicit sex scene at the end, skip it if you want, there is nothing after it.

* * *

The manor felt more alive than it ever had when Harry was there. The man was full of life and energy, breathing it into the walls and the earth. They spent hours going through the three greenhouses on the property, tracking down the different flowers that they would need and working to ensure there would be enough of everything.

Daffodil for rebirth, new beginnings and eternal life. They would need lots to bring joy and happiness, what they hoped to find after the curse had been lifted, what they felt would counter the heartbreak that caused the curse to begin with.

Primrose to represent Maria. The petals on the blossom stood for the various stages of life - birth, initiation, followed by consummation. Then there’s repose and in the end, death. They hoped by use of Primrose, it would help encourage the death of the curse.

Flowering red currant for the life and nourishment it represented. It was a hardy plant, strong enough to resist the curse. It offered a food source for spring fauna, allowing new life to spring forth.

White magnolia for the moon, for the tides, for change. Pink magnolia for the feminine, friends and love, for the hope that they could grow beyond the bindings of the curse.

Rhododendron for faith, innocence, and purity. Faith that they could defeat the curse, the innocence and purity of the children. He hoped to maintain that for them, to help his children go forth without the burden he bore.

Hallet had owled him and asked if there were many trees on the property, that he was hoping there might be a glade they could use. He had provided a list of nine woods that would be needed for the sacred fire and asked if Draco had them.

Birch for rebirth and regeneration.

Rowan for personal power and success.

Ash for wisdom and knowledge.

Alder for spiritual decisions and prophecy.

Willow for protection and healing.

Hawthorn for cleansing and defence.

Oak for strength and good fortune.

Holly for banishing malevolent spirits and the changing of the seasons.

Hazel for dreaming and divination.

It was just after the snow had melted in the new year, Harry had come over to help him locate a glade that could be used for the ritual. It was still cold out, so they were bundled up, wandering through the manor grounds and the forest that wrapped around the edge. They had found a few different spots they could use, but none had called to him as yet.

Draco was just considering taking a break for lunch when they stepped into a new glade. His heart stilled as the earth magic swirled around him. Perfectly circular, the wide glade was densely surrounded by trees, their branches creeping towards the centre and creating a circle of sunlight in the middle. Half in a trance, he paced to the centre and stopped, allowing the weak warmth to bathe him. The magic thrummed under his skin and he knew, this was where the ritual would take place. Opening his eyes, he looked around, amazed but unsurprised to find the nine trees circling the glen in a repeating pattern. Alder, Ash, Birch, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Oak, Rowan and Willow.

His eyes stopped on Harry, who was lingering by the gap where they had entered the glade, his expression filled with love and affection. Draco was unable to resist the blush that crept up his cheeks. His heart yearned to take the other man in his arms, to profess his love, but fear kept him back. Fear that the curse would take something this precious from him when he was so close to having it. Fear that he would take James and Albus and Lily’s father away from them.

He looked back at Harry once more, seeing that the love had eased, his smile a little sad around the edges before Harry turned to move back into the woods, leading them back to the manor for lunch.

* * *

The Easter break was scheduled to finish on May 1 of the year, so Draco sent a letter to Minerva, explaining the situation and advising that his children would not be able to return to Hogwarts until the second of the month. He explained the curse and his hope that the ritual would lift it but that he would need the children present to ensure the counter took. He explained that the cursebreaker from Gringotts believed this was their best chance.

She of course agreed and wished him luck.

Draco communicated a few more times with Hallet, who advised that he would arrive on April 30 in order to prepare the space. Draco and the children should be available to help him set everything up. Hallet requested he be permitted to stay the night at the property so that they could all rise an hour before dawn to begin the ritual. Draco was only too happy to accommodate the other man.

Time slid by slowly, an awful tangle of anticipation and desperate need to spend time with Harry. He was practically vibrating with excitement when he floo’ed onto Kings Cross, meeting with Harry, to wait for their children to come home for the spring break. Cassie was her usual interminable self, but Scorpius was different, he swung from bursts of energy, filling the space with his excitement, to moments of quiet stillness.

The two families loitered on the platform chatting and just enjoying each other’s company. Harry leaned against his side; breath warm as it whispered over his ear. “He is so much like you.”

Draco looked at him in surprise before looking to where Scorpius was standing with Albus. They were quietly huddled together, the simple intimacy of knowing each other for a long time evident. As he looked closer, he could see Scorpius was holding back, could see the beginnings of the yearning he knew only too well in his son’s eyes when he looked at Albus. He caught when Scorpius looked away, and Albus gazed at his son’s profile, an expression on his face that he had caught Harry sporting occasionally. It was filled with affection, with longing, with patience.

Draco’s heart ached.

He desperately wanted Scorpius to have, to take what was right there. Albus and Scorpius deserved to be happy together, to have their chance. Draco’s grey eyes flicked back to Harry to see that same look on his face. Their fingers brushed together, sending sparks rippling up his arm.

“Like father like son.” Draco murmured, captivated when Harry chuckled lightly.

“Like father like son.” Harry agreed.

* * *

The Potter family half moved into the manor for the break. During the summer they had spent all their time at Grimmauld, but this time around, Draco’s home was invaded by the bright energy of Harry and his children. It was a joy to wake every morning and share breakfast with what was fast becoming his extended family. It was agony to know that there was only a wall separating him from Harry every evening when they retired to bed.

The two weeks passed in a blur of excitement and frenetic energy.

Harry ad his children departed the morning of the thirtieth. Hallet arrived at midday, as discussed. Draco, his children and the cursebreaker all trooped out to the glade that Draco had selected. Hallet was very pleased with his choice, settling his bag in the middle and handing them each a broad blade wrapped in silver.

“Each of you cut smallish branches from the trees, you will need three each from the nine trees. Draco, you must allow them to cut the branches themselves, no matter how they struggle. Allow your magic to flow through the blade and focus on your desire to find and keep love, on banishing heart ache from you.”

So they set to, On closer inspection, they found that the surrounding circle of trees had three of each, in a repeating pattern, to they picked their own Alder tree, moving clockwise as they removed small branches, allowing the magic to build around them. Each of the three Malfoy’s created their own stacks, bundles of branches in threes that Hallet would then strip of bark and twigs. Time ceased to mean anything as they worked, magic helping the children find what they need, washing over them all.

Eventually they finished, settling down quietly by their bundles as Hallet finished working on stripping them all back. The cursebreaker set down the last branch, kneeling in the centre of the glade and began quietly chanting in latin. Soon, magic began to glimmer and dance over the grass, a small ball settling a little to the man’s left, a circle appearing between where Draco and his children were space out around the man and the edge of the trees.

Hallet stood moving to stand over the little ball of light and removing his wand. He began chanting a different pattern, wand swirling in a clockwise motion as it pointed at the ground. Earth began carving itself out, creating a little hollow where the ball of light was and, when Draco glanced over his shoulder, he could see a channel being carved in the earth under the ring of light behind him. The earth trickled away, spreading itself over the glen and leaving behind the freshly dug divot and circle.

“Take your branches and lay them in your third of the circle, the edges should overlap, connecting all together, maintain the alternating pattern.” He finished off with another short latin chant and little markers appeared, showing the three separate sections, one for Draco, one for Scorpius and one for Cassiopeia. The three of them complied, taking their bundles and laying the branches out so that the ends would overlap well, ensuring that everything was connected and that the pattern was maintained.

When they finished, Hallet walked around the circle, checking to make sure everything was laid out properly before clapping loudly three times. The magic that had been swirling and thickening through the glade stilled, almost as if it was holding its breath.

“Alright, we are done here for now. Let us go to the greenhouses and see about these flowers. Just don’t disturb the circle as you step out.”

And so, after carefully exiting, they were off. Draco lead the way and was soon showing off the generous amounts of each flower that had been requested. They had bloomed magnificently under Harry’s tender ministrations and Draco could almost feel the love and hope that had been poured into them.

Hallet ran his fingers through the air around them, a grin splitting his face. “Perfect! Absolutely perfect! So you will each need to use your silver knife to each cut nine daffodils, six primrose, three each for the white and pink magnolia and one rhododendron.

I want you all to cut a branch of the flowering red currant that is long enough to create a crown with. Separately, I need you each to pick nine of the berries and place them in this bowl,” He offered a silver bowl, settling it in the earth of a near by garden bed, “I will crush the berries to make a paste for inscribing runes onto your skin. As with before, allow your magic to flow through you, to guide you.”

Hallet then stepped back, allowing them to work quietly through the list. Occasionally he would murmur the instructions, reminding them of what was next but otherwise, the silence was soothing.

Once they had finished, he had them gather everything together and return to the glade. Hallet clapped three times as they stepped back within the circle, and the magic swirled around them once more. They were directed to sit in their section and begin weaving together a flower crown using what had been gathered. Their magic danced through their fingers as they worked, binding and weaving together their hopes and wishes, allowing the raw power to build and fill the circle.

Draco was drowning, flying, lost in the magic. He could feel the power, his hopes and dreams combining with his childrens’ to saturate the glade. It was twilight when they final finished, the magic a thick coating on everything.

Hallet had them set their crowns in their section by the central divot where the silver bowl filled with the paste of the red currants rested. As before, he clapped three times, freezing the building magic, before they stepped out of the circle.

They returned to the manor where they ate a light dinner. Hallet instructed them to bathe well, first showering off the residue of the day, then spending some time soaking in a tub of their preferred salts and oils.

Draco allowed a meditative calm slip over him as he scrubbed away the day, allowing all the worries and cares of the previous year to wash away with the dirt. He filled his tub with hot water, pouring in rosemary and lavender oils. He soaked, skin softening along with his heart, feeling love bloom and take root within him.

That night, he slept naked, the soft cotton sheets caressing his bare skin. Draco dreamed, imagining his future with Harry and their children, of the home they could create together. Of breakfasts with pancakes and gardening and kindness. He dreamed of one blue eye and one green. He dreamed of his mother and Clair de Lune, of magic and the stars.

He woke, calm. Rising, he dressed in the robe given to him by Hallet. Draco stepped out of his room, seeing that his children had risen at the same time as he, the darkness of pre-dawn still heavy over the earth. Hallet met with them in the hall and the four of them made their way in silence to the glade.

Magic was thick in the air as they stepped into the circle. The silence cracked by Hallett’s usual three claps. Their hair and robes rustled in a non-existent wind, magic tugging and curling around them. He directed them to kneel before their crowns as he softly began to chant in latin.

The tone changed and the three reached out to settle the crowns around their own heads. Laying down and joining their hands, Hallet continued chanting, pacing a full circle around them between the earthen circle and their feet.

The branches in the channel burst into flame when he returned to stand by Draco’s feet. A paintbrush in one hand and the bowl of crushed berries in the other, Hallet bent to paint runes on Draco’s feet, his hands, heart and forehead under the crown. He moved next to Scorpius, repeating the process before moving to Cassiopeia.

Returning to stand at Draco’s feet, Hallet once again changed the chant, allowing the magic to build and swirl as the sun broke over the horizon. He could feel a pressure building, trickling in from his hands and feet, crawling towards his heart. The magic swirled, pressing down on his heart, pressing down on his chest, making him gasp for breath but his chest would not expand. Spots began to dance before his eyes.

He could feel the magic flowing into him from Cassie and Scorpius’ hands, so he knew that the curse was lifted from them, knew that they were safe. The weight on his chest grew heavier, pressing him down into the earth until his vision began fading out around the edges.

Knowing that his children were safe, only one thought remained in his head, one person that he desperately wished to see before the curse claimed his life.

As darkness crowded in, he gasped “Harry!”

* * *

There was a weight on his chest, but this one was not heavy, it was not uncomfortable. Draco breathed, inhaling the scent of the earth, of the forest, of treacle tart and home. His eyes popped open and he could see he was still in the glade, though the light was significantly brighter than it had been. Glancing down, he could see a messy head of dark hair and realised that Harry had curled up on his chest, ear pressed over his heart.

With a shaking hand, Draco lifted his hand to card his fingers through the unruly locks. Harry jerked up at his touch, expression a mix of relief and fear.

“What happened?” He rasped.

“I heard you call, so I came. Hallet was finishing up the ritual when I arrived. You and the children were all out of it. So he and I took Scorp and Cassie back up to the house and put them to bed. James, Albus and Lily are all up there, waiting for them to wake.” Harry paused, flushing before continuing in a rush. “Hallet suggested that a good way to finish off the ritual would be for us to remain here, to… well… consummate things as the final banishment of the curse. I’ve been waiting for you to wake.”

Harry squirmed a little as Draco’s gaze grew fierce. “Hallet had me cleanse myself as you did last night, so if you want, if you are willing, we could…”

Harry trailed off, looking away, shifting awkwardly here he was straddling Draco’s hips. Draco could only think of one thing to do, so he reached out, wrapping a hand around the back of Harry’s neck to pull him down and into a searing kiss. Harry gasped and moaned, Draco taking advantage to plunge his tongue into Harry’s mouth.

It was bliss, perfection, unlike anything Draco had ever felt before. Harry was wearing the same robes that he was, which made it easy to slip his hand up Harry’s thigh to grip his bare hip. Harry moaned, rocking into him and causing their thickening cocks to brush together.

Magic that had laid dormant as Draco rested sprang to life, dancing over their skin and pushing them to hurry. Hands grasped and tugged, pulling fabric out of the way. Draco’s robe was shoved up, freeing his hips, while Harry tore his off, leaving him completely bare in the midday sun. The light gleamed off his golden skin, scars lined in silver where they littered his body.

Draco, slid his fingers down Harry’s arse as they kissed frantically, moaning loudly when he found the man already prepared and waiting for him. He gasped when Harry batted his hands away, grasping Draco’s cock and pressing the head to his entrance. His breath stuttered and stilled as Harry sat back slowly, sinking down until Draco was fully encased in the other man’s body.

They panted, magic sparking off their skin, little lights dancing in the air around them.

And then Harry moved.

Rocking gently, Harry began riding Draco, his own cock jutting out and dripping. Harry arched, head thrown back so that the sunlight streamed over him, turning him into a wood nymph, come to steal Draco away. His breath caught at the perfection of the man over him. This was everything he had hoped for, had dreamed of, and so much more.

Pleasure wound through him, magic rushing over and into his skin, the new wish embedding itself into his heart.

He wished that he would always find love.

He wished that love would stay.

He wished that his children would be blessed.

He wished.

Harry’s body tightened over him, magic bursting forth as he came, dragging Draco along with him. The shuddered together, skin to skin. The curse broken and a new wish filling the family line.

This was home.

_“He will hear my call a mile away._

_He will hum my favourite song. _

_He can ride a hippogriff backwards._

_He can flip pancakes in the air._

_He’ll be marvellously kind._

_His favourite shape will be a star._

_He will have one green eye and one blue.”_


	5. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a request for an epilogue and a baby, and the idea stuck with me. I just finished writing it and figured I may as well post it. This came out a whole lot darker than I anticipated. It was meant to be a bit of fluff but instead it is filled with a whole lot of anguish from Draco, not sure where it came from, but it happened.
> 
> WARNING: there is discussion of abortions in this. One does not happen, not are they described, but there is a strong theme running through the chapter. If you don't want to read that, I recommend imagining your own fluffly ending instead.

*****

Draco woke to the sound of dry heaving the morning they were due to pick the kids up from Kings Cross. In the almost two months since the ritual to lift the curse, Harry had moved into the manor, setting the kids up with their own rooms in the family wing.

Draco couldn't wait to see how they would all react when they discovered that their family was whole. He didn't want to think too hard about what Scorp and Al were going to get up to.

Everything was marvellously easy between him and Harry, they fit together perfectly and once more, the manor was a home, filled to the brim with laughter and life.

Lurching out of bed at the sound of throwing up once more, Draco darted into the bathroom to find Harry on his knees by the toilet, head half in the bowl.

This was the umpteenth time that he had woken to this and enough was enough. Harry could no longer escape the reality that he was sick and something was wrong. Filling the glass that now sat on the sink with water, Draco crouched next to his partner and waited for him to look up.

Harry was wan and pasty looking, utterly pathetic as he accepted the glass so he could rinse and spit.

"Alright, you win." The dark-haired man muttered into the glass when Draco raised an eyebrow.

"We can go this afternoon after we pick up the kids. James can look after them while I take you to St Mungo's." Draco pushed the sweaty hair plastered to Harry's forehead back.

Harry nodded in agreement, settling back so he could rest his temple against the cool cistern.

"Will you be alright to come to King's Cross?" Draco pressed, worried.

Harry waved away his concern. "It has been passing after an hour or so. We have time and as long as we apparate, I should be ok."

Draco frowned but conceded the point, instead of arguing further - he had won the important point finally anyway - Draco helped Harry into the shower so he could start the slow process of getting ready.

Neither of them had anywhere they needed to be before they picked the kids up that afternoon. Once Harry was settled back in bed with a cup of tea and some toast, Draco floo'ed St Mungo's and made an appointment with the family healer. Thankfully they had an opening that afternoon and could fit Harry in.

The day passed slowly with Harry gaining a little colour and energy as the hours slipped by. Soon enough they were appearing with a crack at King's Cross, just in time to see the Hogwarts Express come into view. Harry curled into his side, ignoring the other parents as they watched the red engine pull into the station. In no time at all, their children were tumbling out, crowding around the pair and demanding their attention and affection as if it had been years rather than two months since seeing each other.

Draco and Harry could only laugh at their antics shuffling the kids along to the floo so they could all disappear through with their luggage. Draco went first, ensuring that no one got lost on the way, though he felt uncomfortable leaving Harry on the platform to disapparate on his own, waiting anxiously for the wards to twinge and let him through after James tumbled out of the fireplace.

Afternoon tea had been served and everyone settled in the loungeroom to catch up for a little while.

Harry took great delight in breaking the news that their little family had moved permanently into the manor. Al and Scorp shared a quiet look, their knees pressed together on the love seat they had settled in. Cass and Lily both squealed in delight and Draco shared a mildly perturbed look with Harry.

"James, you're in charge for the next few hours," Draco instructed before the kids departed for their own rooms "I have to take Harry to St Mungo's, he's been feeling under the weather so he's having a check-up."

In no time at all, the pair were sitting in an examination room with Draco's family healer. Healer Taylor was frowning at the results of the comprehensive health scan he had just cast on Harry.

"Have you participated in any rituals in the past few months?" She asked.

Draco exchanged a worried look with Harry.

"There was a curse on my family. On May first, a cursebreaker helped end the curse. Harry arrived at the end of the ritual and helped… finalise the breaking." Draco offered after a few beats.

"Did it involve intercourse?" She pressed.

"Well, yes." Harry flushed.

Her expression lightened immediately. "Well gentlemen, it seems that magic has blessed both your union and the breaking of the curse." She paused, a grin stretching across her face. "You're pregnant!"

Draco blanched, Harry could only blink. "Excuse me?"

"It happens occasionally, particularly with rituals, we get one every couple of years where two wizards end up having a baby together. I'll get some of the literature together for you and owl it over." She smiled, reaching out to shake their hands in stunned silence.

"Congratulations again, come back and see me in a month once the shock wears off and you've had a chance to read through the papers I send over." She laughed good-naturedly before urging them out the door.

Draco soon found himself apparating Harry home, the pair sinking onto the couch in the sitting room and staring into space as they tried to process this new development. Draco struggled to suppress the instinctual terror that curled through him at the thought of Harry being pregnant. The curse had already taken Astoria when it shouldn’t have. What was to say that it still wasn’t in effect, that it wouldn’t claim Harry. He loved Harry with everything he had, their children filling their lives with joy and wonder. The thought of having to go through life without Harry at his side, their child in his place was an unendurable agony.

One crystal clear thought penetrated his terror, and he voiced it before thinking on it at all.

“We have to get rid of it.”

“What?” Harry’s voice was high and thin. When Draco looked at him, he could see Harry was protectively wrapped around his belly, looking back at him in a mixture of confusion and anger.

“We have to get rid of it. The curse. It could kill you, I am not letting you die for this, for me. We already have a wonderful family. We don’t need another baby, Harry.” Draco shifted onto his knees before Harry, gripping his hand tightly.

Harry was staring at him in horror, leaning away. “We broke the curse Draco, that is how we have the baby. I am not getting rid of it. We have been blessed by magic itself and you will not take this child from me.”

“How can you be so sure?! The curse took Astoria when it shouldn’t have. How can you be sure that you are safe?! I can’t find you dead Harry. I won't survive you dying. Don’t make me watch you die!” Draco’s breath caught, a sob choking him.

Harry’s expression softened and he reached out to card a hand through Draco’s hair. “The curse broke, we both felt it. I will not die, my love. Magic blessed us with a child, why would she take away our joy?”

Draco could only shake his head, fear still coiling through him. He had lived for so long with knowledge of the curse, had lost his mother and his wife to it. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing Harry too.

"Dad?" James' voice preceded him as he stepped into the room, handsome face creased with worry.

Next came Al and Scorp, standing so close together their arms touched from shoulder to where their pinkies tangled. Neither were comfortable as yet showing affection publicly, but it would come with time.

Last came Cass and Lily, Cass' arm thrown around the little redheads’ shoulders and urging her into the room after their brothers.

"What's wrong?" James demanded, his hazel eyes flicking between the two of them where Draco still knelt before Harry who was sitting on the couch.

He heard Harry sigh heavily. "Everyone sit down please."

If anything, the tension increased as everyone sat.

"There was an unforeseen side effect to the ritual you went under to break the curse." Harry sighed again, a smile curling his lips. "Magic has blessed me with another child. I am pregnant."

The children as a whole are stunned, trading glances between Draco and Harry. Draco knew that his fear and worry were leaking out, carving into his face, while Harry was calm and quiet.

"The curse…" James began, trailing off, and Harry smiled beatifically

"Was broken." Harry finished. "The curse was broken, and magic blessed us with a child to seal the breaking."

Draco was astonished to hear the level of surety in his voice. No worry, no concern, no hesitation at all.

"Of course the curse was broken." Lily sniffed, nose in the air. "We were all there, we felt the magic breaking. It is only right that life should come from so much death."

Draco could only blink, astonished that the Potters, who had such a tendency for irrationality and chaos, were being so sensible. It made him want to scream.

Harry gives her a fond smile. "When did you get so wise love?" He asked and Lily smiled, flushing a little at the praise.

"So what happens next?" The tiny redhead began, peppering Harry with questions that he gladly answered.

Draco allowed the conversation to wash over him, grappling with his fears. Looking up, he saw the same worry reflected back in James's hazel eyes. There was little they could do. Harry wanted to keep the baby; he insisted the curse had been broken. Draco understood that they would both happily die to protect their children, but the thought that Harry might die because of him and his families curse was… Draco's heart turned cold at the thought. He would die, would waste away, if Harry died. Not even his children would be enough to keep him here without Harry by his side.

*****

The months passed slowly as Harry swelled with their child. Lily was the most excited of their children, sharing Harry’s conviction that the curse had been broken. With a little time, she had Cass convinced as well, the pair filling the Manor with their enthusiasm for a new sibling.

Al and Scorp both remained stoically neutral about the whole thing. The pair were more wrapped up in what was developing between them than anything else. They seemed to agree that the curse had been broken -Scorpius would not be pursuing Albus otherwise- but beyond that, they were teenage boys. Babies were not something the pair were interested in.

James seemed to be the only one who shared his worries. They didn’t speak about it, there was nothing to say really. Harry was adamant that the curse was broken and the baby he bore was a blessing.

Draco hated how much Harry glowed with his pregnancy, hated how in love with their unborn baby he was. It felt like Harry was willingly walking to his death, walking away from everything they had built together. He found himself unable to touch the swell of Harry’s stomach, leaving the room when Harry spoke gently to the babe. Harry noticed; of course, how could he miss the anguish that Draco was suffering under? But beyond calm reassurances that everything would be ok, Harry only watched him with patient eyes.

Draco did not suggest getting rid of the child again.

Harry never offered.

The summer went by in a blink, the promised owl arriving with the information packet for male pregnancies and births. Harry poured over it with Lily, while Draco stubbornly ignored it. All too soon, they were packing the children off to Hogwarts. James was entering his final year, and so was stressed about his NEWTs and pending career decisions.

Albus and Scorpius were going into their fourth year and were utterly inseparable. Draco caught them sleeping in the same bed during the holidays but found he didn’t have the heart to rouse on them. Scorpius was wrapped so protectively around Albus that it almost broke his heart.

Cass and Lily were both starting their second year, determined to bring Hogwarts to her knees with their combined mischief. The pair would rival the Weasley twins in no time at all.

It felt like Draco exhaled and he was alone in the manor with Harry. It was harder to cope without the distraction of their children and Draco found himself in desperate need of a distraction. The business investments for his family were ticking along fine, so there was little to keep him busy there. Instead he reached out through his contacts; Draco had always been an excellent brewer but had never bothered to get his mastery. He found a potions supply company who were willing to take him on as a mature apprentice. In no time at all his days were filled with brewing and learning.

He felt terrible for leaving Harry alone so often, but the other man didn’t seem to mind. He seemed to understand Draco’s struggle. There was little he could do to help though. Draco did make sure he was dutifully available for every healers’ appointment; he had done the same for Astoria. He would not do any less for Harry no matter how much of a mistake he thought it was to keep the baby.

Healer Taylor tried to help, tried to get them talking about their feelings over the new baby. Unfortunately, Draco broke down in tears when the healer pressed too hard and Harry asked that she never raise the topic again.

Harry was infinitely patient.

Draco hated the gentle smile, the way he shone with the pregnancy. It made him sick to see Harry so in love with the baby. It was easier to focus on work, leaving after a quick breakfast and coming back late and tired. He had no idea what Harry did with his days, couldn’t remember the last time they were intimate or even spoke properly. It was awful to feel like an alien in his own home, but Draco couldn’t change anything. The idea of asking Harry to leave was utterly abhorrent, so they were stuck in an awful holding pattern until something gave.

He watched as the months trickled by and Harry grew. Summer faded into Autumn and all of a sudden, they were picking the children up from Kings Cross for Christmas. Their laughter and joy filled the cold halls of the manor, easing the ache that resided so deep in his chest, Draco was not convinced it would go away.

*****

Harry went into labour just before midday on Yule. It was a mess of fear and pain and worry as Healer Taylor was called in to help with the birth. There was less drama than with Astoria, their child cut free from Harry’s body easily. Draco could not look away from Harry’s shining green eyes through the whole thing. It felt like Harry was reassuring him with his tight grip, rather than the other way around.

Suddenly Healer Taylor moved into his field of vision, a swaddled bundle in her arms. Harry’s eyes snapped towards it, accepting the bundle gently.

“Draco,” Harry’s voice entreated him, “Will you come and meet your daughter?”

Reluctantly, Draco lent forwards to peer into the baby's face. His breath caught when he looked into her blue eyes for the first time. Reaching out one trembling finger, he brushed over her soft cheek and the world stopped.

He understood now why Harry was so convinced.

Draco felt the blessing of Magic settle over him, filling him with calmness and peace.

Their daughter shone with Magic’s gift.

Draco believed for the first time that the curse had truly been broken and that their daughter was a gift from Magic. Life from death as Lily had said so many months ago.

They named her Solaris Marigold Potter-Malfoy. She had strawberry blonde hair and silver-green eyes. Where she went, the blessing of magic fell from her fingertips and her lips. Life and warmth flowed from her, filling their lives with love and joy.

Solaris was a sun to whom everyone gravitated, and she was kind to all in return.

She was, after all, the product of True Love, and Wish Magi


End file.
